I only saw Gary Speed play in the flesh once, towards the end of his playing career. He was playing in the Championship for Sheffield United and despite nearing 40 was clearly the best player on the pitch. There was a thoughtfulness and intelligence to his play. He didn’t need to run around like his younger team-mates and opponents as his mind always seemed to be one step ahead. Like all the best players he made playing football look easy. Read the rest of this entry »
I know we now have huge-memoried mp3 players and Spotify and iTunes and downloads and pretty-much-immediate access to vast catalogues of music and that it is wonderful and all, but sometimes I like to hear something new, or different, or something I wouldn’t chance upon naturally through those aforementioned technical innovations that offer so much choice that I end up just a little bit overwhelmed and so curate myself into a cosy, familiar, safe corner. Sometimes I need someone else to choose what I’m listening to, to point my ears in an interesting direction. In short, I still love (and need) radio. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American visitors. It seems like a good excuse to post one of my favourite New Yorker covers, that I think is apt for all manner of high days and holidays. I’m thankful for a whole bunch of stuff – a wonderful wife, supportive and loving family, a home, a job…so much great sport, great music, beer, takeaway curry, catch-up television, high-speed internet access…you know, all the important stuff.
I shall try to hunt down a turkey sandwich or something this lunchtime, and think of all you lucky people with a day off work. Have fun!
Funny to already be thinking about next year’s releases, but Lambchop have a new album out in February, I think. It is called Mr. M and they’ve shared a track from it, If Not I’ll Just Die. It is really rather lovely, and if the rest of the album is anywhere near this quality I think we’re in for something special. The album is dedicated to the late Vic Chesnutt. Read the rest of this entry »
After any sort of blogging absence it feels kind of obligatory to explain what brought on said absence. Unless a blog is built around particularly sporadic posts and is self-consciously produced in such a way, it would seem pretty odd to not at least acknowledge a period of blogging silence. Yet, posting up a bunch of excuses for not posting isn’t, in itself, particularly interesting either. People who are new to the site really won’t care that Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Blogger has been busy/uninspired/taking an internet sabbatical/etc. If anything it will probably put them off ever returning (Bye New Visitors!). Read the rest of this entry »
Wait until next year 